Printing mechanism



March 1o, 1942. F. Q. RAST 2,275,653

PRINTING MECHANISM March l0, 1942.

F. Q. RAST PRINTING MECHANI SM Filed June lO, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 PRINTING MiscnANrsM Frederick Q. Rast, Bing to International Bu tion, New York, N. York liamton, N. Y., assignor siness Machines Corpora- Y., a corporation oi New Application June 10, 1939, Serial No. 278,472-` 3 Claims.

This invention relates to printing mechanisms and, more particularly, to those printing mechanisms o! the mechanical trip type which are actuated by a record sheet inserted in the printing position to receive a registration thereon.

The instant invention is especially adapted for use in job time recorders, time stamps, and the like where printing occurs upon insertion of a time card, and is contemplated to be an improvement in the card-controlled printing construction oi' the machine shown in my pending application Serial No. 217,955, illed July 7, 1938.

Automatic printing mechanisms familiar in the art, generally speaking, have been comprised of various forms of electrical contacts adapted to be actuated upon insertion of a sheet into printing position to cause energization of a solenoid, or in some cases a motor, for eiecting a printing operation. These electrically controlled mechanisms, although widely used, as a rule are more or less subject to such electrical troubles as arcing of the contacts,`burning out of the solenoids, complete disability upon power failure, etc. 'I'he reason for the preference of the electrical structure over the mechanical trip mechanism has apparently been that the former has been more adapted to be actuated by thinner record sheets since, normally, less pressure is required to effect printing by electrical means. This preference l is considerably lessened by the present invention which proposes an improved, straight-mechanical trip mechanism adapted to be actuated by a record sheet upon insertion into the printing position, and requiring only slight pressure on the record sheet to actuate the trip mechanism to eilect a printing operation.

More speciiically, it is an object of the invention to provide means for printing on a record sheet including a normally-cocked hammer adapted to be triggered oil? by a straight-mechanical trip mechanism under control of a card or the like, and a motor drive means rendered effective upon the forward movement of the hammer during a printing operation to restore the hammer to its normally-cocked position upon cornpletion of the printing operation. It will be noted that in regard to a power failure under this type of construction that printing is not rendered completely ineffective as it would be in a strictly electrical construction, since one imprint may be made after the power failure has occurred, after which the motor simply fails to restore the hammer. Also, in the proposed mechanical structure the necessity of having card-controlled contacts and solenoids energized under the control thereof has been eliminated and these parts replaced with simple, durable mechanical parts constituting a structure which is more economical, substantial, and eillcient than equivalent types of electrically-operated printing mechanisms.

It is not to be inferred from the above that the pressure applied to the record sheet where the straight mechanical structure is used is as light as certain electrical constructions wherein the inserted sheet operates directly against a weakly-tensioned contact strap. However, the proposed mechanical structure of the present 'invention does compare favorably, as far as pressure on the card is concerned, with those electrical mechanisms which have intermediate levers between the record sheet and the controlling contacts, such as described in my pending application to which reference has been previously made. In that application, the record sheet comprised an ordinary time card of the usual type used in job time recorders which is equally suitable for use in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

It is further contemplated to provide a single mechanical means for preventing a printing operation when the record sheet is not in a proper predetermined printing position when any of the type elements is being positioned, and during a print hammer restoring cycle.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view taken sectionally through the casing of the machine revealing the card-controlled printing mechanism as it appears when the machine is viewed from a sidewise direction.

Fig. 1a is a detail view in perspective of a portion of the card-operated mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View of a portion of the printing mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the card receiver and the printing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the clutch and hammer restoring mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, vit is noted that a supporting casing, generally designated I0, provides a convenient mounting for a card receiver il formed with a tapered mouth at the top thereof to facilitate insertion of -a time card C. At the lower end of the card receiver is an abutment I2 which is positionable in accordance with preselected time periods in the manner explained in my pending application mentioned hereinbefore. An extension i3 of abutment l2 has pivotally mounted thereon a bell crank member I4 which extends to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, into the path of the inserted time card C. A vertical swivel bail I5 is pivotally carried by a supporting member I6 integral with casing l0 and has slidable connection 54a, with the other arm of bell crank lever I4.

The vertical bail is loosely connected with one end of a releasable trip arm I1 which extends through a slotted guideway in an ear I8 of a latching member I9 which is loosely mounted on shaft 2B. A printing hammer 2I is normally latched up on latching member I9, the hammer tail 2id being in direct engagement with member i9, and a powerful spring 22 urges the hammer over towards type elements 23. Thus, upon movement of latching member I9, the hammer is released and permitted to fly forward to press the card C against type elements 23 to effect a printing operation.

Referring to Fig. 3, it is noted that the forward movement of the hammer causes actuation of an arm 24 by the hammer tail Zia. Arm 24 is fixed to shaft 2B so that this shaft is rocked in a counterclockwise direction. A knock-off arm a, fixed to shaft 22E, moves down causing the trip arm l1 to be rendered ineffective. At the extreme right end of shaft 20, as viewed in Fig. 4, is a contact operating arm 25 also fixedly mounted to the shaft and biased to a latching position by a spring 25a. A pair of contacts 26 are mounted on a bracket 21 which is secured to the supporting frame IG. Contacts 26 are thus arranged to be closed by arm 25 and, when closed, provide for energization of the drive motor (not shown). Concurrently with the closing of contacts 26, pawl 21 is released from itsl normally latched position on arm 25 and a spring 28 urges it into engagement with drive ratchet 29 which is fastened to the motor shaft 3l. Pawl 21 is pivotally mounted on a cam plate 28 so that upon engagement of the pawl and ratchet, plate 32 is rotated.

Mounted on the other side of the cam plate 32 is a cam 33 which actuates a follower arm 34, imparting vertical movement thereto. Arm 34 has operative connection with a crank arm fixed to hammer shaft 36 in such a manner that thev movement of arm 34 provides crank action for rocking the shaft 36, causing the hammer tail 2Ia to be restored to its latched position on latching member I9. The hammer mechanism is mounted on the shaft 36 in such a manner that it may lire free of the shaft and yet be restored when the shaft is rocked in a clockwise direction.

Freely mounted upon the end of shaft 20 is another arm 31 which is operated upon Iactuation of the shaft. The purpose of this arm is to maintain shaft 20 in its actuated position and also to maintain contacts 26 closed until the end of the cycle. Arm 31 follows the periphery of cam plate 32 and has a normal position in a depressed portion 32 which position it assumes at the end of each cycle of operation. As the lower end of arm 31 moves into the depression 32a under the biasing action of spring 31a near the end of a cycle, latching member I9 is permitted to restore to normal under the biasing action of spring ISa. The latching sequence is such that latching member I9 is moved up into latching position just after the hammer tail 2Ia has been moved up slightly beyond the normal position of the latch point. For further detailed description as to the hammer latching mechanism, reference should be made to the aforementioned pending application.

Briey, then, it is seen that insertion of a time card in receiver II and downward pressure on the card causes actuation of bell crank lever I4 in such a manner as to rock the vertical bail I5 and cause trip arm I1 to be moved to the right to impart movement to the latching member I9 sufficient to trip the hammer 2l and thereby to effect printing. The hammer, in its printing movement, actuates an arm 24 which rocks shaft 20. Knock-off arm 20a which is fixed to shaft 20 operates to disengage trip I1 to prevent a repeat operation for one depression of the lever I4. Arm 25 closes contacts 26 to energize the motor and releases pawl 21 to provide a drive connection to the motor through ratchet 29. Cam plate 32 is rotated and -arm 31 rides out of the depression 32a to keep contacts 26 closed and to keep shaft 2B actuated so as to hold the latching member IS away from its normal position. Cam 33 causes vertical follower arm 34 to be operated in such a manner that a rocking motion is imparted to shaft 36 sufficient to move the hammer back to its normal position `lust previous to the return of the latching member I5 by' its spring Ia near the end of the cycle when arm 31 again enters the depressed portion of cam plate 32.

In the operation just described, if the card is held depressed, no further printing may occur since the trip arm I1 once released by knock off arm 20a moves to the right so that its normal engaging point with latching member I9 is past this member and therefore ineffective. Thus, the operating gear including lever I4, bail I5, trip arm I1, and latch I9, is effective for one and only one printing operation upon each insertion of the card into printing position.

It is necessary in most time recorders to prevent printing entirely at certain times even though a time card is inserted, such as when the card receiver is laterally removed from its proper printing alignment, when the type elements are being positioned, or when the hammer restoring cycle is occurring. A convenient and unique printing lock-out means is provided in the form of a long vertical link 40 located to the left of the printing mechanism. This link is operated from either shaft 4I through cam 42 during a program change, from hammer shaft 36 through cam 43 during a printing cycle, or from shaft 45 through bail 46 and bell crank arm 41 upon lateral shifting of the card receiver to an off position. Pins 40a on link 4U cooperate with cams 42 and 43, and bell crank 41 fits over a stud 40h on link 40 so as to force the link down when any of the above operating conditions prevail. A spring 48 normally biases link 40 in an upwardly direction.

A bail 50, loosely mounted on shaft 20, has operating connection 49 with link 40 and is rocked downwardly upon downward movement of the link. A projection 50a on the right-hand end of the bail engages the top of the releasable trip arm I1, thus forcing arm I1 down into an ineffective position so that printing may not occur even though pressure is exerted on an inserted card.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details oi the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A card-controlled impression mechanism comprising a supporting frame, a card receiver carried by said frame for receiving and guiding a time card into an operative position, a positionable abutment also carried by said frame for controlling the depth of insertion o1 the card into the receiver, a bell crank lever pivoted to said abutment and extending into the path of the card for actuation thereby as the card is fully linserted in the card receiver, a rocker bail mounted on the frame and having slidable connection with the bell crank lever so as to be rocked by the actuated lever regardless of the position of the abutment, a spring-biased impression member, a latching device normally holding the impression member in its cocked position, and a trip member pivotally connected to the bail and having direct abutting connection with the latching device for releasing the impression member from said device to eli'ect an impression on the inserted card.

2. A card-controlled impression mechanism comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a card receiver carried by said frame for receiving and guiding a card into an operative position, a positionable abutment also carried by said frame for limiting the depth to which the card may be inserted so as to determine the location of the impression to be made on said card, a pivoted lever carried by said abutment and located so as to be actuated by the card upon its insertion into the card receiver, an elongated bail having an operative connection with said lever so as to be operated by the said lever in all of the positions of the abutment, a springbiased impression member, a latch for holding the impression member in its normally cocked position, a trip arm pivotally connected to said bail and having an abutting connection with the latch for tripping said latch to cause operation o! the impression member upon actuation of the pivoted lever by the card, and means responsive to the movement of the impression member for removing the trip arm from its normal abutting connection with the latch so as to prevent further impressions upon continued operation of the card actuated lever.

3. A card-controlled impression mechanism comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a card guide carried by said frame for receiving and guiding a card into operative position, a positionable abutment also carried by the frame for limiting the depth to which the card may be inserted so as to determine the location of the impression to be made on said card, a card controlled device carried by said abutment arranged to be actuated by the card upon its insertion into the card guide in operative position, a rocker bail mounted on the frame and provided with an operative connection with the card controlled device for actuation by said device in all positions ot the abutment, a spring-biased impression member, a latch for normally holding said member in a cocked position, a trip arm connected to the bail and abutting the latch for moving said latch to trip the impression member upon actuation of the card controlled device, a drive motor, means responsive to the operative movement of the impression member for energizing the motor to drive said member back to its latched position, and mechanical means also controlled by the impression member for maintaining the trip arm inen'ective to operate the latch while the member is being restored regardless of repeated operations of the card controlled device.

FREDERICK Q. RASI'. 

